Canyons Resort

+Immense resort that's quickly adding amenities.

- Can be overwheming. Best for cruisers.

Utah's largest ski area and the United States’ third-largest somehow remains a mystery to many. Yet this 4,000-acre “hidden gem” stands in easy reach and plain sight, sprawling across nine mountaintops just north of Park City. Well funded and smartly buffed with $50 million in upgrades to date by luxury developer Talisker Corp., this master-planned resort delivers wide-open cruising, slopeside lodgings, swift lifts and delicious eats. Add easy access to all Salt Lake skiing, enough off-hill diversions to keep you fully engaged and coordinates that put the good times of downtown Park City and hip Kimball Junction a short drive away, and smart ski travelers won’t be saying “Where?” for long. Says a forward-looking reader: “Watch out, Deer Valley!” —S.R.

Après Spot » Build a cocoa creation at Chocolate Bar, located at the new Ski Beach, then kick back in a lounge chair while a band plays. Family Activity » Tenpin it at Kimball Junction’s Jupiter Bowl, with glowing bowling balls, live music and lane-side dining.

Take an afternoon break this season at these new on-mountain hot spots.

• Garbo’s Grill is a new joint inside the Carleton Lodge, at base of Whistler Mountain, focusing on burgers with 20 topping choices, including sauces, cheeses, and veggies.

• Canyons Resort unveils the new, improved Cloud Dine at the top of the Dreamcatcher and Dreamscape quads. The 300-seat venue boasts a menu of made-to-order salads, sandwiches, and flatbread pizzas plus delicious pastries and coffee drinks.

The $182.5 million acquisition ends the PCMR legal battle and will combine Park City's two biggest resorts.

Perhaps the biggest question facing the U.S. ski industry this year just got answered: Vail Resorts purchased Park City Mountain Resort Thursday for $182.5 million, ending a protracted legal battle that went white hot at the end of the 2011 season.

Scott House, communications director and guide for White Pine Touring and Jans Mountain Outfitters in Park City, Utah, gave us countless tips on a recent trip to tackle some of Park City's 400-plus miles of single track. Here are the most important things you should know about mountain biking.

I rode around the parking lot of White Pine Touring on a $6,000 Specialized mountain bike called “Epic Expert Carbon.” But on that sunny summer morning in Park City, Utah, the problem was that I was no “expert.”

I was about to embark on the longest, most epic bike ride of my life, led by Scott House, the communications director for White Pine Touring, and other guides—all tanned mountain men with chiseled calves. Earlier, House’d reassured me that the group would be broken out by ability levels, that a guide would stick with me.

Court ruling could give Vail Resorts control over both PCMR and Canyons. Powdr Corp. vows to continue to battle.

Park City Mountain Resort could be forced to cease operations following a Wednesday court ruling. Or Vail Resorts could be running the Utah resort. Or it could be somewhere in between. The future is that unclear.

We show you the can't-miss Park City attractions, including three popular ski areas.

Ski destination Park City, Utah is a 30 minute drive from the Salt Lake City airport. With three ski areas—the Canyons, Deer Valley, and Park City Mountain Resort—to visit, can editor Ryan Dionne fit them all in a 72-hour trip? Find out in this video, which also features an après hot spot.